The Last Stand
by Eastwest28
Summary: Nowhere left to go, nowhere left to run. The united people of Skyrim make a last stand against a horde of the undead. We join the Dragonborn in his last Moments before the fight.


Harsh winds battered the towers of Fort Dawnguard, spreading their icy chill like tendrils of some overgrown weed choking the life out of all around them. The cold fit the atmosphere of the Fort perfectly; men and women who should have been sharing good natured banter and laughing loudly were silent, performing their work like some Dwemer automation as if they were trying to isolate themselves from the doom gathering just beyond the entrance to the cavern.

Ishtar looked out from the top of the tower, seemingly immune to the cold… his brow furrowed deep in thought. He could hear them, the shuffling chanting horde that had beaten them back to this fortress. His knuckles paled as he gripped the stone and he let out a steady breath, trying his best to calm the panic rising in him. He was Dragonborn, he had slain the world eater and ended the threat from the tyranny of the sun… and he was afraid of what was coming. It almost felt hopeless, this last defence of the peoples of Skyrim, an uneasy alliance of all races brought together simply to survive.

The faint rustle of steel armour drew him from his melancholy thoughts; a thin smile came to his lips. Lydia his long suffering and ever faithful Housecarl had appeared behind him. She never was that good at keeping quiet. "Here we are again my friend, I roped you into saving the world again." he smirked at the young Nord as he turned. She met his eye a look of sheer determination and…acceptance plastered over her face "I always knew following you would send me to Sovengard" she replied with her usual aloof air, her voice cracking momentarily as the grave situation sunk in. Grasping his arm and pulling him into a friendly embrace she continued "and I wouldn't have missed it for the world, it's been an honour My Thane" stepping away she regained her normal stoic composure "Isran sent me, he says they are getting ready to move…It's time".

The walk down to the Lobby felt eerily similar to walking to the headsman's block in Helgen all those years ago, like he was an observer watching his own body walk to its death , totally powerless to stop it. The lobby was as quiet as the grave faced men and women all stood in a group, saying their silent prayers to the nine and making peace with themselves. Isran caught his eye as he made his way through the group to the gates, they exchanged a wordless nod. He couldn't help but think how different things were, the old Redguard once known for his righteous conviction now stood shoulder to shoulder with a master vampire. A sarcastic thought entered his mind, if nothing else the Draugr March had finally gotten him to abandon his misguided hate.

He reached the target of his search at last…Serana, in all her regal beauty. Her pale skin and raven hair stood out amongst the sea of yellow and brown armour. She was stood with a group of dawnguard soldiers, their crossbows in hand and their eyes fixated on the great wooden doors. Slotting in next to her he gave her a sly look "Don't feel the need to impress me out there my dear" emphasising the dear to gain a rise out of the vampire. She turned and looked at him; her copper eyes were like a warm beacon in the endless night. With a flash of her fangs and sultry smile she replied "I don't need to do anything to impress you other than stand here, you stare enough" a few of the soldiers lost their composure at the exchange, sniggering quietly at the vampire's putdown.

Ishtar broke the silence again "Serana" his voice low, for her ears only. She turned to him again eyes heavy with unspoken fears, The shuffling and chanting was getting louder now, they were close.

"This might well be our last adventure" the dunmer sighed "If this is the day I go to meet the divines then so be it, I…I just wanted to tell you" his voice faltering under the weight of the words he was about to say "I Love you, by the nine I love you… I think I have since the very beginning…"

Just for a moment it felt like the world stopped around him, He suddenly feared this simple exchange more than the horde of the undead itself. Until her arms snaked around his neck and her soft lips crashed into his. In this sudden contact, her cool skin against his and her fangs grazing his lip he felt everything, her relief that the tension between them had gone, her desire to truly make him hers and her desperation that this could be the first and last time their lips would meet.

Breaking away breathlessly she grabbed the front of this cuirass, pulling herself into his embrace "You come back to me Dragonslayer!" she commanded, eyes ablaze before dropping into a horse whisper "You come back to me…". He stood there and held her close for what felt like an eternity. His mind began to conjure foolish images of them just dropping it all, leaving Skyrim to its fate and flying away somewhere escaping the doom coming for them all.

The chanting had stopped, and a deathly silence fell over the lobby of Fort Dawnguard. Ishtar and Serana broke their embrace, thin trails of red ran down her cheeks where the emotion of the moment had overcome her adorned her pale face like war paint. She had never looked quite so beautiful to him… a bell started tolling in the bowls of the castle, this was it.

Isran ordered the mighty doors open and for the last time the defenders of Skyrim looked upon their enemy… A horde of the undead and foulest creatures that the divines saw to create looked back, their frosty blue eyes seemed to burn with incandescent fury. Ishtar stepped forward, his black sword drawn, the enchanted blade glowing orange in expectation, Fire had always been his friend. Holding his sword up high in the air, he shouted the words that had been rolling around his brain for the past few hours…

 _"Here we are at the end of days_

 _Gazing out from the sea of rage_

 _We'll make this world bleed its sins_

 _We are one, we're eternity"_

A rousing cry came from the men at his back, blood and adrenaline rushing through his veins; he walked out to meet his fate. The Draugr charged, the world fell silent for Ishtar again. He smiled as spells, bolts and arrows flew all around him. With the taste of Serana's lips still in his mouth he felt he could face his death a happy man. He sucked in a mighty breath as he tapped into his ancient power…

 **FUS RO DAH!**

 **Authors notes;**

 **Thanks for reading, this is my first go at writing anything really i hope it makes the grade. If you spot any errors in Grammar please let me know, I've tried my best to catch everything but Grammar is not my strong point.**

 **This is a one shot right now, inspired by the song Draugr March by the band Drearyym. I have some ideas on how to expand things but im awaiting reviews first.**

 **I do not own any characters or locations mentioned in this story other than my OC character.**


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